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🔒 Step 6: Guard Mode

Days 12-13 of your journey

Before you put your app on the internet, you need to make sure it's secure. Guard mode helps you identify and fix security vulnerabilities.

Purpose​

In Guard mode, 1M Code acts as a security engineer. It will:

  • Scan your code for common vulnerabilities
  • Check for exposed secrets and credentials
  • Review authentication and authorization
  • Ensure data is handled safely

When to Use This Mode​

Use Guard mode when:

  • You're preparing to deploy
  • You want to check for security issues
  • You're handling user data
  • You need to review environment variables

Available Tools​

ToolPurpose
readScan code for vulnerabilities
editFix security issues
browserResearch security best practices
commandRun security scanning tools

Example Prompts​

Security Audit​

Scan my codebase for security issues. 
What vulnerabilities should I fix before deploying?

Secrets Check​

Check if I've accidentally committed any API keys or secrets.

Data Safety​

Review how I'm handling user data. Is it secure?

Specific Vulnerability​

I'm using user input to build a database query. 
Is this vulnerable to SQL injection?

The Security Checklist​

1. Secrets & Credentials​

  • No API keys in code files
  • .env file is in .gitignore
  • No passwords in source control
  • Environment variables used for secrets

2. User Input​

  • All inputs are validated
  • No SQL injection vulnerabilities
  • No XSS (cross-site scripting) vulnerabilities
  • File uploads are restricted (if applicable)

3. Authentication (if applicable)​

  • Passwords are hashed, not stored plain
  • Sessions expire appropriately
  • No sensitive data in URLs
  • Protected routes actually check auth

4. Data Protection​

  • HTTPS enforced (handled by hosting usually)
  • Sensitive data not logged
  • No unnecessary data collected
  • Data access is controlled

5. Dependencies​

  • Dependencies are up to date
  • No known vulnerabilities in packages
  • Lock file is committed

Common Security Issues​

Issue 1: Exposed Secrets​

Problem: API keys in your code or git history.

// BAD - Never do this
const apiKey = "sk_live_abc123xyz";

Fix: Use environment variables.

// GOOD
const apiKey = process.env.API_KEY;

Issue 2: Missing Input Validation​

Problem: Trusting user input without checking.

// BAD
const count = parseInt(userInput);
// Could be NaN, negative, or huge

Fix: Validate and sanitize.

// GOOD
const count = Math.max(0, Math.min(100, parseInt(userInput) || 0));

Issue 3: Hardcoded URLs​

Problem: Development URLs in production code.

// BAD
const api = "http://localhost:3000/api";

Fix: Use environment-based configuration.

// GOOD
const api = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL;

Issue 4: Insecure Dependencies​

Problem: Using packages with known vulnerabilities. Fix: Run npm audit and update vulnerable packages.

Running Security Checks​

1M Code can help you run automated checks:

# Check for dependency vulnerabilities
npm audit

# Check for secrets in git history
git log --all --full-history -- "*.env"

# Scan for common issues
npx audit-ci

For Simple MVPs​

If your MVP doesn't have:

  • User accounts
  • Payment processing
  • Sensitive data

Then your security checklist is shorter:

  • No secrets in code
  • .env is gitignored
  • Dependencies are up to date
  • HTTPS will be enabled (Vercel does this)

When Security Can Wait​

For a simple MVP (like a personal todo app with no auth), some security concerns are less urgent:

Still Important:

  • No exposed secrets
  • HTTPS enabled
  • Dependencies updated

Can Wait for V2:

  • Advanced input validation (if no sensitive data)
  • Rate limiting (if low traffic expected)
  • Security headers (if no auth)

Output of This Phase​

By the end of Guard mode, you should have:

  1. Security checklist — reviewed and addressed
  2. No exposed secrets — verified clean
  3. Dependencies updated — no known vulnerabilities
  4. Confidence — your app is safe to deploy

When to Move On​

You're ready for 🚀 Ship mode when:

  • ✅ No secrets in codebase
  • ✅ .env file is gitignored
  • ✅ npm audit shows no high/critical vulnerabilities
  • ✅ User inputs are validated (if applicable)
  • ✅ You'd feel okay putting this on the internet

Switching to Ship Mode​

When you're ready, switch to Ship mode:

Slash command: /ship

Or say: "Security check complete. Let's deploy this!"

← Step 5: Test

Step 7: Ship →

Video Coming Soon

A walkthrough video for Guard mode is in production. Check back soon or join our Discord for updates.